Welcome to the City of Des Moines

A major center for insurance, financial services and publishing, Des Moines has a lot to offer, such as affordable housing, short commute times, a diverse population, and was also recently named one of the best places to live on the Silicon Prairie.

Des Moines Public Library Annual Report

Read all about the GREAT CONNECTIONS the Des Moines Public Library has made over the past year - by providing a great collection, outstanding programs, and excellent customer service - to Des Moines residents and beyond.

Best City for Young Professionals

City Award - Best City for Young Professionals. Des Moines tops the list for the Best City for Young Professionals. Factors such as local unemployment rates, job growth projections and median salaries of 24 - 34 year old employed college grads.

Spotlight on Des Moines

Gray's Lake Park features the 1,400 foot-long Kruidenier Trail pedestrian bridge and a 1.9 mile trail around the lake. "...Residents can walk, bike, boat or fish -- right in the very heart of downtown," said Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie.

East Village

World Food Prize

Des Moines is home to the World Food Prize the foremost international award recognizing the achievements in advancing human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.

Performance Metrics

Performance Measurement Program

The City of Des Moines is in the process of a multi-year performance measurement program. This program is designed to gauge citizen expectations and satisfaction with governmental services and to measure the City of Des Moines' effectiveness. These programs help to illustrate the City of Des Moines' progress in attaining the 12 goals by the City Council.

How We Compare to Other Cities

The Center for Performance Measurement (CPM) is available to subscribing local governments. The service provides performance data templates that allow local governments to share data about their programs, benchmark their work against similar jurisdictions, and as a result, improve service through application of best management practices.

City of Des Moines 2011 Performance Report

The 2011 Performance Report outlines the City of Des Moines' service efforts and accomplishments for 2011. The sections of the report are based on the City of Des Moines Goal Statements. The report includes performance measures, benchmarks, census data, spending levels, and the results of the a resident and business survey to reach a general understanding of the City's performance.

Resident Satisfaction Surveys

Every two years the City of Des Moines hires a private party to administer a survey to allow residents an opportunity to provide feedback about the services they receive from the City of Des Moines. The input assists the City in making critical decisions about the allocation of City resources and helps set the direction for the future of our community.